Matthew 16

Vida Dutton Scudder, an early 20th-century radical, points Christians to solidarity and martyrdom.

Jesus’ word association with “Peter” falls flat in almost every language.

I find it comforting to realize that Jesus recognizes the incompleteness of Peter’s understanding.

The translators hope that “the colonial language that was forced upon us can now serve our people in a good way.”

Imagine Jesus at the beach, building a cairn.

Imagine Jesus at the beach, building a cairn.

Following Jesus means the human things and the divine things will overlap.

Turned toward one another in worship, we experience the grace of God's gaze.

In Matthew 16, I see a particular classical ballet step.

Through Christ, God dances.

Not everyone knows who Jesus is. Do his disciples?

In the late 70s, two friends of mine housesat for the poet James Merrill—and got out his Ouija board.

My state has the same number of churches as prisoners. This fact haunts me.

As I read the headline yesterday, my heart began to pound and my throat closed up: “School Clerk In Georgia Persuaded Gunman To Lay Down Weapons.” This was a good story—ultimately a hopeful one—but all I could see was “school” and “gunman."

God sent Moses on a mission to rescue his people from oppression. He was asked to risk his life in a costly but exciting adventure--a mission of compassion and justice on behalf of a million other people.

My friend believes that death is not the final story. Is she right?

Only Peter stands up to answer Jesus' question.